Like Nobody's Watching
by Boxasaurus
Summary: To get his reward after a hard battle, Naofumi has to complete a very difficult quest... to go the ball.


I just wanna thank my editor, Jimbo for making this readable.

As I'm dancing with Raphtalia, I can't help but chuckle as I think about how these events transpired.

After a long, hard-fought battle, we had finally killed the spirit tortoise. As thanks for my help, the Queen had offered me any reward within her power. I asked for ownership of the currently-unclaimed piece of land where Raphtalia's village once stood. I needed a base of operations for the future, and that seemed like the perfect place.

"If that is what you desire, then I shall make it so, Shield Hero-sama."

Before I could give my thanks, however, the Queen interrupted me.

"But, due to the losses we suffered during the turtle's rampage, I must ask one more favor of you before I can grant your wish."

I rolled my eyes.

"This is yet another ploy to use me to strengthen your public image, isn't it?" I had a feeling I knew what she wanted me to do.

The Queen smiled behind her fan.

"I am hosting a ball at the castle, with the intent of fostering good relations with the other leaders and their representatives. I would like you to attend this ball."

My heart sank. This was exactly what I was afraid of. I was never the social type to begin with, and my experience in Melromarc certainly had not helped with that.

"You will of course need a companion as well, to accessorize your presence. I would like you to attend with Melty. Please, take good care of her."

Was she trying to use Melty as an incentive for me to go? The nerve of this woman! She must really want me to go to this stupid ball. Well, I'd do this favor for her, but no way was I going to let her believe she could try to bribe me with Melty or something.

"Alright, your majesty. I'll go and be your good little diplomat. But, I'm not taking Melty with me. There's no way I could have such a young child as my companion," I firmly explained.

The Queen raised an eyebrow at my defiance.

"Very well, then. However, I must insist that you have someone accompany you to the ball, so that you may maintain a professional aura. You may bring whoever you see fit, but if you do not bring anyone, I _will_ have Melty be your 'date' for this ball. Do I make myself clear?" I could tell by the look in her eyes that she wasn't going to budge on this matter. I sighed, defeated.

"Fine. I agree to your terms."

"Excellent. I promise this will be worth your while."

Now that I knew what the Queen wanted, I needed to let the others know what was going on. As I approached the door, however, I heard something curious on the other side. I thought I could hear several voices talking in hushed tones, but the only two people who were supposed to be out there were Raphtalia and Éclair, who were standing watch. Where were those other voices coming from?

I opened the door, and was greeted with yelps of surprise as I nearly knocked over the two young girls who had been standing in front of it.

"Filo? Melty? What are you two doing here?"

Raphtalia looked oddly flustered at my question. "W-well, that's… er…"

"We were-mmmphhhmpmphh…" Filo started to pipe up, but Melty quickly clamped a hand over her mouth. "I was just filling in Raphtalia and Éclair on what was going on. I figured I'd save you the trouble."

"Yes! That's exactly what we were doing. Discussing the ball." Raphtalia frantically nodded her agreement, but judging by the even more frantic wagging of her tail, I had a feeling there was a little more to it than that. I looked to Éclair, but her face remained impassive.

"What Princess Melty says is true. We were discussing the upcoming ball that the Queen is hosting."

I glanced back at Melty, who still had her hand firmly over Filo's mouth. It was clear that nobody was going to give me the full story.

"Alright, if you say so," I conceded, spreading my hands in defeat. I trusted that these four wouldn't be trying anything truly nefarious against me, so whatever they were hiding, it was probably just embarrassing. Still, I couldn't shake the feeling that this encounter would come back to haunt me soon.

Éclair graciously allowed us to take residence in her home while we prepared for the ball. While I did build some simple accessories, I was mostly hard at work studying how to interact with nobles. Melromarc had always mirrored seventeenth century Europe, and the formal attire was no different. Thankfully it wasn't too hard to design. I decided to keep it simple, drafting a plain suit comprised of black, white, and green. I brought it to the Queen for approval before sending it off to the tailor, and thankfully she had no issue. I'm sure she would have liked for me to wear some gaudy costume, but she knew that I would never have agreed to that.

As the ball was approaching, Melty came to the estate to make sure that I had the manners and knowledge necessary to survive the ball without seriously offending any of the nobility. The sheer number of topics we covered was exhausting: how to properly address the nobility, dinner etiquette, dancing… the list went on and on. Her lack of faith that I wouldn't go on an insult spree was astounding.

"Now Naofumi, do you know why the..."

I stopped listening when she asked for the history of some dumb rule of nobility. Something about buttons.

"Didn't a previous king do it since he was too fat to button the bottom one, and everyone just accepted it?" Raphtalia quipped.

"That is correct, Raphtalia." Melty seemed to approve of that answer.

"Raphtalia… when did you learn about nobility customs?" I inquired.

"Éclair taught me."

_Hmm._ I didn't know Raphtalia had those kind of interests. That could be helpful if we ever had to deal with nobility in the future. After grilling me on etiquette for a while longer, Melty came to the topic that I'd been looking forward to the least.

"Naofumi, do you know how to dance?"

I rolled my eyes.

"Of course I know how to dance!"

That was only half true. While I did have some experience dancing from my life in Japan, I doubted it was passable for something as high-class as a royal ball.

"Then show me."

Melty held out her hands in a silent invitation for me to dance with her. As I hesitantly reached out to grab them, I heard a shout from behind.

"Naofumi-sama, wait!"

Raphtalia practically knocked Melty over as she ran up and took my hands in hers.

"Here, let me help you!"

"Raphtalia, do you even know how to-"

Melty began to protest, but was silenced as Raphtalia swept us across the floor in a smooth rhythm, swaying our bodies gracefully. It felt as if we were gliding across the ground. After a few rounds around the room in this way, we finally stopped. Raphtalia looked over to Melty, who was still standing in the center of the room, shocked at this sudden display of grace. After a long pause, Melty found her voice again.

"Well, I guess that answers that question. I still would like to confirm a few things though. Could you two please do a waltz?"

Raphtalia brought my hand to her waist, in turn setting hers on my shoulder. As I clasped her other hand in mine, she leaned into me until I could feel her warm breath against my ear.

"You can take the lead now, Naofumi-sama."

I felt waves of goosebumps travel along my entire body as she whispered those words directly into my ear. I suddenly found myself _acutely_ aware of her body, and just how close it was to mine. I could feel the curve of her waist beneath my fingers, and though I'd held her hand in the past, I didn't remember it being this soft. I struggled to shake the thoughts from my mind as I tried to remember anything I knew about waltzing, but they were annoyingly persistent. Finally I remembered something.

_Something… something about... crates…? Make a box with your feet! That was it!_

I took a few steps, tracing the edges of a rectangle with my feet. I moved slowly at first, then a bit faster as I gained confidence, Raphtalia flowing with me in perfect sync the whole way. Melty nodded, satisfied.

"Ok, it seems that you really do have a handle on this, then. Make sure you and Raphtalia arrive by sundown tomorrow." Melty looked pointedly at me. "You _are_ taking Raphtalia with you, yes?"

"I…"

I had been considering bringing Raphtalia along, but I wasn't sure. She may be able to navigate gatherings like this which as much skill as any princess, but she was still a demihuman. And that meant that she would be looked down on by everyone else at the party. Would she be ok with going to an event like this? I glanced sidelong at Raphtalia, and saw the hopefulness in her eyes. That settled it.

"Yes. I am."

"Excellent!" Melty clasped her hands together with a suspicious level of enthusiasm. I wasn't sure why, but I felt like I had just been played somehow. "Well then, I'll let you two go. You'll need your rest for the ball tomorrow, after all."

"Yes, we will!" Raphtalia agreed, vigorously nodding, as she practically dragged me out of the room.

Once we got inside, I bid Raphtalia a good night. As I turned to head to my bed, I felt a tug on my sleeve.

"Um, Naofumi-sama... I know this is selfish, but could I stay with you a little while?"

It had been a long time since she had asked for that. Could the prospect of being surrounded by nobles have brought back her nightmares?

"I promise I won't interrupt or hinder your rest."

Well, if it let her sleep soundly tonight...

"I guess I don't mind. Just make sure to keep that promise."

She was getting better at guessing what I was thinking. I quickly prepared for bed and Raphtalia followed. She wasted no time in making herself comfortable, pressing her head into my side. Hopefully she would feel at ease and not have any issues sleeping.

"Naofumi-sama..."

"Didn't you just promise me you wouldn't bother my sleep?" I teased.

"I'm sorry… I was just curious how you knew so much about nobility."

"Well, back in my world, the history of nobility is well-documented. I learned a good deal of it from school."

"Wait, school? Naofumi-sama, you never told me you were a noble!"

"What? No! I was just an average citizen."

"But don't only children of nobility or royalty-"

"No, I have no royal blood whatsoever. In my world, almost everyone gets an education, even commoners."

"That's…" Raphtalia couldn't seem to process the idea. Was it really that crazy?

"Look, I'll explain it in detail some other time. It's getting late and we both need our energy for tomorrow, so go to sleep."

I had to be somewhat firm or else I would end up with no sleep and a weary body.

"I'm sorry. It's just... I find Naofumi-sama so interesting. I really wish you would share more of yourself with me sometimes."

"Well, we are sharing a bed right now…"

I felt Raphtalia nestle her head against my chest. She must have decided to stop asking questions and finally rest.

"I know you are my shield, but please let me protect you, sometimes."

"Mmmmm, I'd be a poor excuse for a Shield Hero if I did that." I chuckled, closing my eyes. "Good night, Raphtalia."

"Good night, Naofumi-sama. Please take good care of me tomorrow."

As I entered into unconsciousness, I felt her drape her arms over my chest and lean into my ear with a soft whisper.

"Good night my prince."

I awoke the next morning feeling rested and refreshed, more so than I had in a long while. Raphtalia was still sleeping draped across my chest. I moved to wake her, but before I could...

"GOOD MORNING MASTER!"

The door exploded open, and everything went dark under the ball of feathers that was now smothering Raphtalia and me.

"Gaaahh…"

"Oi Filo, Get off!"

"But master and Raphtalia-oneechan need to get ready for the party tonight!"

"How are we supposed to do that under all these feathers, huh?"

"Hmmff… fine I guess master really doesn't want my help."

Poor Filo. She probably wanted to go, but there was no way a Filolial would be allowed to a party like this. Helping us get ready was probably the best she could do to curb her jealousy. Regardless of how much Filo wanted to help though, the sun was already high in the sky. The time to arrive was fast approaching.

"Alright you two, get out so I can change."

"Awwwwww..."

They groaned in unison, a protest which I promptly ignored.

"Raphtalia, go get Eclair to help you get ready for tonight. Filo, go with her and make sure she doesn't take too long. I'll get breakfast ready for us, then we need to leave for the castle immediately. Understood?"

Filo snapped her wing to her head in a cute little salute and ran off. Raphtalia trailed behind, still not fully awake.

Now that those two were busy I could finally get dressed. Once I equipped my new suit, I took a moment to admire the design in the mirror. Having satisfied myself with the seamstress' craftsmanship, I cooked a hearty breakfast that would give us energy for the trip. It was a wonderfully calm and quiet time.

Until Filo rushed over, followed by Raphtalia and Eclair.

"How do I look Naofumi-sama?"

Raphtalia was standing there quietly in her red gown. The victorian-esque dress highlighted and hugged a number of her features. Her shoulders were uncovered just enough to give a slight view of her collar. Her waist was well accentuated without being skin-tight. Raphtalia also wore a pair of heels (I assumed so that she could feel more like royalty), and she had hidden a short sword under her dress in case things got precarious. All in all, she looked stunning.

"Stop thinking mean things."

"Hey, I wasn't thinking anything mean! You look very nice, Raphtalia."

Man she knew just what to say to throw me off guard.

"Well as long as you think I look good, I'm satisfied."

"Let's eat then, while we still have time."

We all had an enjoyable meal while discussing our interest in how the night would play out. Then we cleaned up and got ready to depart.

"Good luck tonight, you two."

"Thanks, Eclair. Please make sure Filo behaves while we're gone, for everyone's sakes."

"Will do, I'm sure she will be a good girl. Make sure to take good care of Raphtalia you hear? She may be an adult, but she's your escort, so protect her well."

"I've protected her from far worse, don't worry."

"I'll take your word. But don't disappoint me."

All of this talk about protecting Raphtalia. What had gotten into everyone lately?

"Okay, okay. I understand. Raphtalia, Filo!"

"Yes?"

They both turned to me.

"Let's head out now."

Once Raphtalia and I entered the carriage, Filo took off, pulling us along at a breakneck pace. The ride was not uncomfortable in the slightest. Raphtalia didn't even have any motion sickness. In fact, the combination of the vibrations and scenery had a hypnotically incapacitating effect on me.

"Naofumi-sama you can't fall asleep right now!"

Raphtalia shook we awake before sleep could overtake me.

"Thanks Raphtalia. The calmness of the situation had an overly potent effect on me."

"I noticed. It's rare to see you looking so carefree."

She was right. I'd need to be more vigilant from now on. I couldn't risk letting my guard down like that just because the carriage was comfortable.

"Looks like we are still a ways from the castle, even at Filo's pace."

"Then we can pass the time talking."

"Oh? Is there something on your mind?"

"Well we haven't had a lot of time to talk as companions, and I would like to hear more about you, like last night."

"Sure then. Not like there's anything better to do at the moment."

She seemed annoyed at my answer.

"So when are you going to tell me about your family legacy?"

I think she still believed I was lying to her.

"I told you Raphtalia, I'm not of royal birth. The only reason I studied back in my world is because it was required of all youths. In fact, I would have been nothing but a shut-in if I wasn't forced to occasionally produce some work."

"What is a shut-in, and why would you want to be one?"

She really had to go straight for the tough questions.

"A shut in is someone who stays inside pretty much all day and does nothing but read trash, play games, and browse the net."

"Oh, so you were a scholar? As expected considering your tactics."

"No no no, being a shut-in is definitely not a good thing. It means being a drain to society while producing nothing."

An awkward silence passed between the two of us for a moment. I scratched my neck.

Raphtalia then shuffled across to my side and embraced my arm.

"The fact that you made someone like me, someone who had nothing, find value in life is all I need to know that you're a valuable person, Naofumi-sama. Please don't take for granted how highly many people think of you. How highly _I_ think of you."

She still had so much trust in me, even after all we had been through. No, it was _because_ we had been through so much together that she trusted me this much. It was a very comforting feeling. Before I knew it, we had arrived at the castle.

"We're here, Raphtalia. Let's make sure to give the Queen a good performance."

"Yes, Naofumi-sama".

We descended from the carriage and said bye to Filo.

"See you later master, have fun Raphtalia-oneechan!"

"We'll be back as soon as we can, ok Filo-chan?"

"Make sure to behave yourself while we're gone." I added.

"Ok! Filo promises to be really good!"

We then ascended the castle steps, and into the realm of royalty.

"BEHOLD! THE SHIELD HERO AND HIS COMPANION HAVE ARRIVED!"

Our arrival was loudly announced as we entered the main chamber. To call it unnerving was an understatement, considering that not too long ago everyone in this building wanted to see me dead or imprisoned.

"Welcome, Shield Hero-dono. I'm glad you could make it."

The Queen made sure to intercept us and give us a speedy introduction to the top brass of all of the nations Melromarc was attempting to woo.

"This here is a representative of... and here is the head of the ruling family in… and..."

I quickly tuned out the myriad of useless names, but made sure to play the part of the amiable Shield Hero. As I was exchanging pleasantries with one of the younger looking nobles, he suddenly turned his attention to Raphtalia.

"Well hello there young miss, may I ask your name?"

"Raphtalia, sir."

While the conversation seemed to be normal, the way the nobles, both human and demi-human was looking at her made my skin crawl. Those eyes did not sit right with me.

"I see the Shield Hero keeps some interesting companions. May I ask what your lineage is miss Raphtalia?"

The bastards were trying to poke at Raphtalia's origins and I hated it. Before I could respond however, Raphtalia quickly spoke up.

"I was originally from a small demi-human community called Rurorura Village. When the waves began however, it seems some fellow citizens deemed us as low value commodities. Yet, Naofumi-sama was kind enough to save and heal me, which is why I now serve as his sword."

"Amazing! Even with a slave of unnoteworthy birth the shield hero defends us all, even when he could command a great fighting force like one of the many I possess."

The fucker actually ended that statement with a wink. I finally stepped forward to nip his ego, raising an arm protectively in front of Raphtalia.

"My job is to handle the waves, and I will choose my companions. I have only made it this far thanks to Raphtalia's assistance, so you had best not imply any ineptitudes with my party as it is the one that allows you to continue fattening up inside your cozy mansion." I snapped, my voice dripping with venom. "Now, we will have a peaceful. Won't we, Raphtalia?"

"Yes Naofumi-sama."

With that, I guided Raphtalia towards a remote corner so could we could collect ourselves and eat in relative peace. Thankfully I was able to keep Raphtalia calm and make her feel comfortable after dealing with those annoying lard balls. We were almost able to return to an affable atmosphere between the two of us, before Raphtalia suddenly started to act weird.

"Would the Shield Hero like some food or drink?" Raphtalia inquired teasingly with a bow.

She seemed to putting up some uncomfortable airs due to this overly proper environment. She was probably still bothered by the nobles remarks. I figured I would humor her so she would regain her senses.

"Yes, the Shield Hero requires sustenance."

"Understood, master. I will get you some food immediately"

I raised my eyebrows in mild surprise. I had figured Raphtalia would protest, but she seemed to not be pay my response any mind. When Raphtalia returned with a plate of food, she tried to feed me like I was an invalid.

"Wait Raphtalia,what are you doing! You don't need to do it."

Raphtalia tilted her head at me as if she didn't understand.

"But my master asked me to. Why would I not want to please my master?"

Damn. She was really committing to this faithful devotee act_._

"Raphtalia, I'm not your master anymore. After all we have been through, we are partners at this point. You don't need to address me as such. So please drop it, and just call me by my name like you normally do."

"Okay… Naofumi-sama, I just wanted to make sure everyone knows I'm someone who is useful to you."

"You can do that without calling me 'master', silly."

Raphtalia shuffled her feet nervously. "Um Naofumi-sama. may I ask you a favor?"

"Sure, what is it?

She cleared her throat. I wondered what had her in such a flustered state.

"Well, ever since I was a young girl, it's been my dream to dance at a grand ball in the arms of a prince. A-and I grew up hearing stories about the great Shield Hero and how kindly he treated demi-humans like me..."

Raphtalia glanced away, her tail swishing furiously. After a moment, she brought her gaze back to mine.

"What I guess I'm asking is... would you allow me the honor of dancing with you, Naofumi-sama?"

Her question caught me off guard. With how serious Raphtalia was most of the time, it was easy to forget that she had feminine tendencies like any other girl. But I didn't see any good reason to turn her down. Besides, how could I say no to that demure face?

"Sure, we can dance for a bit. After all, it would be conspicuous if I came to a ball and didn't do any dancing."

Her eyes lit up. "Thank you so much Naofumi-sama!"

"Don't mention it."

I took Raphtalia by the hand and led her to the dance floor. We adopted a simple and closed stance; her hands on my back, mine on her sides. When the next song began, we made great strides across the floor.

"Naofumi-sama, you're quite slow. It's a good thing you make up for it in how strongly you lead, hehehe."

She was right. I hadn't really noticed it, but I guess I was leading well enough to cover up my incompetence as a dancer. As the music shifted to a calmer pace, we slowed down into a waltz. Raphtalia leaned into my chest, with one hand on my shield and the other on my back.

"Naofumi-sama, I cannot express how grateful I am to this shield for leading such a magnificent man to care for me. Thank you so much for this experience. I will never forget this night."

"No problem, Raphtalia."

I wasn't sure what else to say, so I just patted her head. After a comfortable eternity, I noticed how late it was and decided it was time for us to depart.

"Shield hero-dono where are you heading?"

The queen was questioning me as to why I was leaving early, but I explained that I had been here for a reasonable amount of time and fulfilled my duty..

Raphtalia was looking a little antsy, and I seconded her feelings.

I think I knew what to do.

"Change shield, voice gengar shield."

Raphtalia had her hands on her head, knowing what I was going to do next.

"THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR THE WONDERFUL EVENING, BUT THE TIME IS LATE AND I BID YOU ALl, ADIEU"

"Hurry, Raphtalia! Let's go!"

She nodded, and took my hand as we dashed for the exit.

I heard some requests to continue chatting and socialize, but I had my fill of that crap for this lifetime. With that, we escaped that decked out dungeon of dukes and duchesses with Raphtalia in tow.

"Wait, Naofumi-sama, these shoes are difficult to run in. Aaaah-"

Raphtalia tripped and fell. I was able to catch her before she hit the ground, but one of her shoes had broken. Damn, that was going to be a hassle.

"Don't worry, Raphtalia. I've got you."

I wasn't about to make Raphtalia walk home barefoot, so I grabbed her in a princess carry and headed out of town.

Raphtalia hid her face in her hands. "Eek! Naofumi-sama, w-why are you..."

"Sorry Raphtalia, but I'll need to keep carrying you like this until we get to Éclair's estate."

"I don't mind that at all. It's just... I'm really tired. Would it be too much trouble to ask that we find an inn?"

I guess that wasn't a bad idea. After all, we were trying to trek all the way back to Éclair's estate on foot after dancing for most of the day. I was feeling a bit exhausted myself. After running with Raphtalia in my arms for a while, we made it to an inn. I checked out a room for us and collapsed spread-eagled onto the bed, exhausted from the night's activities. Raphtalia gently sat down next to me.

"Naofumi-sama, do you think… we could talk a bit more like we did last night? We do have a bit more time on our hands, and we don't really need to worry about doing anything tomorrow." I sat up.

"Sure. Did you have anything in particular you wanted to talk about, Raphtalia?"

"Kind of…"

She took a long pause there and just stared at her hands for a while. Eventually I tapped her on the shoulder, snapping her back to reality.

"Raphtalia, you know when you ask to talk about something, that normally implies that you actually talk, right?"

"I know, I know. It's just I'm a little unsure how to ask…" Raphtalia trailed off. Whatever the case, it was clear that something serious was bothering her.

"Raphtalia, we're partners. That means if you have a problem it affects me just as much."

"I'm sorry Naofumi-sama, I just don't want to bother with my pointless problems."

I moved a bit closer and placed my hand on her shoulder. She almost visibly relaxed at my touch.

"Raphtalia, you should know by now that _any_ problem you're having is important to me, no matter how small you think it is." Raphtalia took a deep breath.

"Naofumi-sama, if you could describe me in one word, what would it be?"

"Companion. Wait, is that all that was bothering you?"

"NO! I was just asking a simple question."

I guess she really needed to work up the courage to talk about whatever was bothering her. Maybe some gentle persuasion could help her out.

"Okay, enough is enough. I'm giving you sixty seconds. If you haven't opened up by then, I'm going to sleep and that'll be the end of it. I hate dancing around things like this, so it's now or never. Are you going to accept my help, or risk being a burden?"

As the words left my mouth, I realized too late that I had been too harsh. Raphtalia's ears flattened as she turned away from me, dejected. I felt like I had just kicked a puppy.

"Raphtalia, wait. I…" I slid over and wrapped my arms around her in a hug. I felt her stiffen, then relax as she rested her head against my chest. "I'm sorry, that was too harsh. I'm just worried about you, Raphtalia. It bothers me seeing you like this, y'know?"

Raphtalia pulled away and gave me an annoyed glare. "No offense, but you're quite blind, Naofumi-sama."

"Well, blind or not, I'm here to help you."

"You always are," she said, leaning back into me again. We were silent for a moment. Eventually Raphtalia spoke up again.

"Okay, I think I have my thoughts sorted out now. But before I share these things with you, could you please grant me one more selfish request?"

"Depends what it is."

Raphtalia then got to her feet, took my hands, and pulled me up.

"I want you to dance with me like before. Just the two of us, no leering nobles this time."

I reached up and caressed her cheek gently.

"I'd be happy to, Raphtalia."

Raphtalia leaned into my hand and sighed contentedly. I decided to take the lead and began with simple back and forth steps. Moonlight flooded the room with a pale luminescence that made Raphtalia seem as if she was glowing. The effect was so enchanting that I couldn't take my eyes away from her.

"You know you're staring in an obvious way, Naofumi-sama… not that I mind."

"What was that last part, Raphtalia? I couldn't hear you."

Raphtalia pouted at my teasing, but it eventually gave way to a loving expression that I hadn't seen since way back when I had fought Motoyasu for the first time.

"Please Naofumi… Can I please have your love right now?" she pleaded, resting her head against my shoulder. I was caught completely off guard by her out-of-the-blue confession. Of all the things I expected to happen tonight, this was certainly not one of them. In my utter shock, I found myself unable to form a complete thought for what seemed like forever.

"Wh… what are you saying, Raphtalia?" I finally managed to stammer out.

"I know you heard me, Naofumi-sama. I know it's been hard for you to trust people again, after everything has happened to you. But I'm done waiting. You've protected me time and time again, and I want to pay you back. I want to shoulder your burdens with you."

"But, you've got your entire life ahead of you. Do you really want to make a commitment like this at such a youn- _ow!_"

She actually bit my damn ear. What had gotten into her?

"When are you going to stop treating me like a child, Naofumi-sama?" She muttered jadedly.

"When you stop acting like one."

"Well, like father, like daughter, I suppose." Raphtalia snapped back.

"I…" Wow. She really knew how to hit me where it hurt. "Jeez. When did you get such a sharp tongue? I feel like a failure of a parent."

Raphtalia pulled away so that she could look me in the eyes. "That's because you're not my parent! Please, I just want to do all I can to relieve your soul. I know you need me just as much as I need you. Maybe even more."

"Hey, I am perfectly capable-"

Raphtalia took my face in her hands and kissed me.

It was as if I had been struck by lightning. If her sudden confession before had caught me off guard, what was happening now completely destroyed my ability to think. Any dancing had stopped long ago. Now, even with the boost to my balance that the shield provided, it was all I could do to stay on my feet as my brain tried to come to terms with what I was experiencing. Half-baked thoughts and wild emotions clashed violently inside my skull. Anger and fear flared up from the emotional wounds that Bitch had carved into me when I first arrived in this world, wounds that had never fully healed. At the same time, the love and trust I held for Raphtalia blossomed more strongly than ever, but this was even more confusing. Until now, I had thought that my love for her was parental, but it was clear that she didn't see things that way. Was it okay for me to feel the same? Did I even _want_ to feel the same?

Beneath the maelstrom of emotions swirling in my head, I was still uncomfortably aware of the sensations I was feeling. The softness of Raphtalia's lips against my own, the lingering pain in my ear where she had bit me, the brush of her fingers as they slowly ran through my hair… They all cast an intoxicating haze over my mind that made it even more impossible for me to form a complete thought.

After what felt like an eternity, Raphtalia finally pulled away.

"The Shield Hero might be an impenetrable wall, but what about Naofumi Iwatani? Is your heart as tough as your shield?"

"Raphtalia…" I was still at a loss for what to say to her. After all, what could I say in a situation like this?

Raphtalia brushed away a tear that I hadn't even noticed rolling down my cheek. "Please Naofumi-sama, let me be your comfort."

"I… How long have you…"

"Since the first wave."

_So long…_ "I guess you're as patient as I'm oblivious."

"Oh, please don't say that! You were hurting, and you weren't ready yet. I was prepared to wait for years, if that's what you needed."

"Hmmmm." The irony of what she just said brought me back to my senses a little more. "And yet you went and kissed me like that."

"Ehehe, well, that's… I, um…" Suddenly flustered, Raphtalia looked away. "That may have been Melty and Eclair's idea."

"Oh?" I'd thought they might have been plotting something, and it seemed my suspicions were not unfounded. Raphtalia nodded her affirmation.

"They figured that maybe all you needed was… a little push, so to speak."

"Well," I said, bringing one hand up to stroke her head. "Consider me pushed." Raphtalia's ears twitched as I gently ran my knuckles along them.

"To be honest, I'm quite relieved, Naofumi-sama. I was worried that maybe I wasn't good enough for you."

I couldn't suppress a snort. "Are you kidding? You're one of the few people in this world I can even tolerate, Raphtalia, let alone love."

Raphtalia wrapped her arms around my neck, putting her forehead against mine. "That makes me glad, Naofumi-sama. Thank you." Was she really that happy to hear something like that? She must have been more possessive than she let on. Or maybe I had just been oblivious to that too. "I want to hear you say it, though."

I blinked. "What do you want to hear me say?"

"Oh, come on. You know _exactly _what I want you to say."

I rolled my eyes, but only half heartedly. "Ok, ok. I love you, Raphtalia," I recited, punctuating my statement with a kiss on her forehead. Raphtalia giggled. "Now, I think I'm getting tired of standing here pretending to dance," she said, tugging me towards the bed. I understood completely. It really had been a long night, and the prospect of sleep was awfully tempting.

After a quick shedding of outer clothes, I finally flopped onto the bed, grateful to finally be off my feet. It wasn't long before Raphtalia made herself comfortable as well, snuggled as tight as she could against my chest. I circled my arms around her waist and pulled her close, burying my face in her hair. _This is nice,_ I thought, sighing contentedly. "What a night, huh?"

"One of the best nights of my life, Naofumi-sama," she whispered against my chest.


End file.
